The Watchers
by Lady Shinimegami
Summary: A mysterious mutant appears setting off a domino effect. Permanent Hiatus
1. Book Of Mouse

Disclaimer: I am in no way making money off of this story. All characters except for the few I have made, are owned and copyrighted by Marvel Comics. Fell feel to use any and all characters I have made, or reference to my work (I consider that a compliment).

Spoilers: None that I am aware of uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh………

Summery: A mysterious new mutant, Mouse, is found outside that x-men mansion. After being nursed back to health, the x-men struggle to discover her secrets and past that she is unwilling to share, while at the same time protecting her from an unseen threat. This is the first book of a "The Watchers"

The Watchers

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Prologue

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She walked alone in the dark and seemingly endless forest; nothing could stop her from getting to her destination. She was the only one left. Thoughts of regret and sorrow filled her mind. Why had she left them? Why had she left them to die? It was all her fault; they would never come back now, not after what she had done. 

She was tired, so very tired. When had been the last time she had slept? She couldn't remember.So much had happened in the past few days, so much death and so many mistakes made. She wasn't just tired from lack of sleep but from her body changing so rapidly. It had all happened so fast. She had had to leave with the others. If only she could take it all back. Why did she leave them, why? But now was not the time to think about it. She had to get to her destination. A world of new beginnings and hope awaited her, if she could only make it there. She wanted nothing else but to rest. No time, she thought bitterly, I have to get there before they find my trail. 

Finally her body gave up on her. There was no more she could do. She wanted to cry or scream, do something, anything to vent her frustration at this situation she had been put into. She sunk to the ground like an exhausted child. Her last thoughts before she passing out were on the man who had suddenly appeared at her side out of nowhere.

The mysterious figure almost seemed to be part of the dark shadows of the night. Seconds later he picked up the now unconscious form and with a quite BAMF, disappeared into the night.

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# Book of Mouse

** **

"_Männe sind Schweine! Trauen ihnen nicht, mein Kind! Sie wollen…………………………_" The evil looking devil that had saved the girl from her exhausted state was now happily walking around the med lab singing a tune from his favourite German band. The tall blue figure had been know for years to all as Nightcrawler, and to his friends as Kurt. 

" Hey, Fuzzy Elf, could you quicken you pace with those blankets? And stop singing that derogatory song!

Of course there were those who still insisted on calling him by his nickname, the dreaded "Fuzzy Elf". Kurt had been glad to help Hank; in fact Hank couldn't get rid of him since Kurt had brought the unconscious stranger to his attention. Truth be told, Kurt couldn't get the girl out of his mind. He knew there was something strange about her. She was after all very injured, and no one seemed to be around to have caused these injuries. And what was she doing on the mansion grounds? Was she looking for someone or was she just lost and disorientated.

" Patience is a virtue, mein Freund, besides since you won't let me teleport in you "sanitary" lab, I have to accommodate you by walking around. And I like that song."

Hank smiled at his "Freund" and replied, " My heart bleeds for you Elf, but I need to get the visitor settled in before Xavier gets back.Her condition is stable thanks to my great doctorial skills, she needs only rest now."

Kurt was glad to hear this. He had been surprised at the news that there was a stranger on the mansion grounds. His teleporting abilities had allowed him to be the first to arrive and investigate. Kurt had been even more surprised to find the girl unconscious upon his arrival. He had immediately brought her to Dr. Hank McCoy; otherwise know as, The Beast. 

Her sudden appearance on the grounds was the least startling discovery they had made about her that night. She had mystery written all over her. She had been wearing a long black trench coat, black pants, and dark blue top that showed her middle section and had on black army boots. She was a not a tall person but a very small woman, at most 5'1 or 5'2. Her small physic had tattoos covering it in certain places. Kurt could count two so far, one of a long green dragon surrounding her belly button, and once the girl's trench coat had been removed, they soon found a golden eye of Ra on her right shoulder, though Kurt suspected there could be more in other more private places. 

One thing was for certain, she was a definitely a mutant. Her small hands had deadly looking claws attached to them where nails should be. And her small eyes where pitch black. He couldn't believe how odd they looked. No pupils at all, just pitch black. The claws, eyes and petite figure made her look a lot like a mouse to Kurt. In fact this is what he had dubbed her, Mouse or "Mäuschen" ("Little Mouse" in German). She had shoulder length sandy blond hair, which looked very un-kept at the moment. And then there was the pendant she wore. It was attached to a long silver chain. The pendant itself had inscriptions on both sides. On the front it had a picture of a dragon, much like the one on her belly, but this one didn't have the same eyes. Its eye was the same as the eye of Ra on her shoulder. On the flipside a singly word was engraved, _Weisheit_. At first Hank had thought this was a last name or a clan name. But Kurt knew what it really was, he recognized the German word immediately, it meant wisdom. She was definitely a mystery worth figuring out.

"Well, I do believe our fearless leader has returned with Jean and Scott. Do be a good Elf and finish accommodating our young guest, while I go and greet them."

" Mit Vernuegen (With Pleasure), mein Freund, I would be glad to"

At that Beast left the room. Kurt then turned to the sleeping body,"I guess it is just you and me, Mäuschen. I will try to be quite and let you get some sleep".

* * * * * * * * * *

Beast strolled down the long corridor on his way to meet up with Professor Xavier. He was very glad to get out of the med lab now that it had Kurt in it. He had nothing against Kurt, but he was used to dealing with the medical situations alone. And besides, Kurt was simply too cheery at this time of mourning for his own good. It was already 8 in the morning. They had spent the whole night helping the girl recuperate. He was physically exhausted, but not nearly as exhausted as the girl had been when Kurt had brought her into the lab. Hank could only wonder at the cause of her injuries. Kurt also seemed to be thinking a lot about the issue at hand.He was there the entire night willing to help him tend to her wounds. Kurt was almost too helpful, as in he wouldn't leave. Even after the work had been done, Kurt had stuck around just in case he could help in some way. Hank could understand Kurt's interest in the girl. She was quite a mystery. He couldn't help but wonder what her mutant abilities included, or was what you see what you get?

"Ah, salutations Professor, welcome back." The Professor had just come in through the door with Jean and Scott trailing behind him. "And salutations Jean and Scott as well, don't think that I had forgotten you."

"Don't worry Beast we didn't, and it's nice to see you again too." Said a smiling Jean.

"Yes, thank you Beast, it's good to be back. I trust nothing happened while I was away. The house still seems to be standing, and everyone is good and accounted for." The Professor said giving Beast a sarcastic smile. 

" How true Professor, but we seem to have acquired a guest late last night. Nightcrawler found her outside unconscious while investigating an intruder. She is still sleeping, and seems to be doing well. Nightcrawler is with her right now."

"Well then, can we go down to the med lab and check on our visitor?" Asked the Professor.

"Certainly Professor, I must warn you though, that we have found interesting tattoos on her body, not to mention some sort of German medallion around her neck. Perhaps you will be able to shed some light on the subject."

"Well I shall certainly try, Beast, that much I can do. I will try to get some general information about her from her mind. Like how she is feeling or if she is in further need of help."

"But of course Professor, go right ahead."

* * * * * * * * * *

Nightcrawler walked around the med lab in hope of finding some interesting equipment that he could misplace to further irritate Beast. So far he wasn't having any luck. Not only had Beast basically hid all the good stuff from him, but also his thoughts kept drifting back to the sleeping mouse near him. He would love to find out what she was really like. She fascinated him so much asleep, she must be wonderful awake. Then again she could be the exact opposite. He found himself standing beside her sleeping form. He gazed upon her now closed eyes, thinking back to the seemingly endless depth they had held while being examined. He was curious to know if she was even real; she seemed so fragile, like she could break at any minute. Without even thinking about it, Kurt removed the gloves that always covered his hands, and for a brief second softly stoked the girl's cheek. This caused a small reaction in her; she muttered something that was undecipherable. He quickly took his hand away to check her pulse. As he did this, her hand moved and caught his in soft grip. Her eyes flew open and just stared at the person before her. 

She had never actually met a mutant like him before in her life, though she had seen very many form a distance, she was not scared at all or at least she didn't show any sigh of being so. He finally was able to make some conversation, "Well Mäuschen, you finally woke up." After a short pause, noticing she was still staring at him, he quickly added, " Aren't you scared of me?" 

At first she didn't know what to say to this. She had just woken up, after thinking she was going to die, to find herself presumably at her destination (there were mutants), staring at one such mutant that looked like one of the devil's advocates. But he had saved her and that meant a lot to her. Though she didn't particularly feel like she should be saved.

He was almost surprised to hear the sound of her voice when she answered. "No…I am not. If you had wanted to hurt me, you would have already done so, instead here you are nursing me back to health. And as far as your looks are concerned, I am not that much better off, I still stand out in a crowd. Besides, looks can sometimes be deceiving."

Kurt couldn't believe she had spoken so much at one time. It would have to take some getting used to, to hearing her voice. That was for sure. " You are right Mäuschen, looks _can_ be very deceiving."

She was about to ask him why he was calling her Mäuschen, when her eyes suddenly got very big and she yelled, "No, don't do that. I can't control it yet!"

Nightcrawler didn't know what to say or do. She turned to him and screaming said, " You have go to help them, see if they are alright. Quickly go to your doctor."

* * * * * * * * * *

Kurt didn't know if she meant Beast or the Professor, but he immediately teleported himself to where he thought they might be. He found Beast leaning over a fallen Professor. He had fallen right out of his wheelchair. 

"He attempted to enter the strangers mind, then he just yelled out in pain and fell." Beast explained.

"I am alright Beast. Thank you for your concern. I never even got near her mind. Her mind is so well protected that just being near it is enough to hurt me. But I have learned my lesson. Just imagine how powerful she could be. I really must meet her now." Understanding dawned on both Beast's and Kurt's face.

Nightcrawler's face suddenly lit up, "Oh we can do that now, she just woke up. She might take to you more kindly if you speak with her face to face, mein Freund."

"Good, then that's what we shall do."

Beast and Xavier continued walking down the hallway towards the med lab, as Kurt teleported back to the worried Mouse to calm her down and assure her that everything was all right. 

* * * * * * * * * *

She couldn't believe the predicament she had already gotten herself into. She hoped the man was all right. The last thing she needed right now another death on her conscious. She didn't mean to leave them, and she didn't mean to hurt the man. But he _did_ try to enter her mind thinking she was still asleep. In a way it was good that she was awake. She couldn't control her mind much, not since she put up those barriers to keep certain people out. She just couldn't control her mind with the barriers up and she forgot how to put them down. But awake, she at least lessoned the blow he got. She feared what might have happened, had she still been asleep. She had in the past actually killed people trying to enter her mind, but then at the time, that was the idea. She couldn't really forgive herself for leaving them behind, but then again it was a matter of survival. Even if she was in charge, they knew the risk. And so did the man. He had gone into people's heads before. He knew there might be a chance of getting hurt. Maybe not like that but still… she would not feel responsible. Not again.Now that she thought about it, how dare he try to enter her mind. He deserved what he got.

The blue man finally came back to the lab, he just appeared out of thin air. She had been a bit surprised when he suddenly disappeared, yet grateful he had gone to help. 

"Hey Mäuschen, don't worry, he is fine. You have some punch to your mind."

"Don't blame me for him intruding my mind. I never asked him to do that." Kurt looked slightly shocked for a second, wondering how he had offended her.

" I am sorry, Mäuschen, I didn't mean to insult you. You are right; Professor Xavier had no right to be in your mind. He was just trying to help. He is on his way here right now, with Dr. McCoy, to talk to you. He is very impressed with you abilities as a mutant."

She looked up suddenly at that. "But that wasn't my mutant powers…" She then trailed off and corrected herself, "I mean yes, I would love to talk to him about it, I am sorry, this is just all so new."

He wasn't sure if she was telling the whole truth, but that was her choice. She was after all only just a guest, and the mansion had _residents_ who they knew almost nothing about. Besides, she was after all just recovering from a near death experience. He should be happy she was still sane, not to weak and able to make some sense out of this situation.

"No I am sorry, I keep forgetting you are still so weak. I don't know if I could have handled this half as well as you have Mäuschen." He gave her a reassuring smile and resisted the urge to touch her cheek again to comfort her.

She looked amused and finally asked what she wanted to before, "Why do you call me Little Mouse?"

He looked very surprised and answered, "You speak German!!! Ha, well isn't that nice. I call you Mouse because I think you are a Mouse."

"Thanks, I think."

"No, I don't mean it as a bad thing. Your claws and your eyes, and your small frame and height, it all reminds me of a mouse. I think mice are cute."

"Ah, now I understand. Well you know I like that name, Mouse. I need a new name, Mouse it is. But you are aloud to call me Mäuschen, just 'cause you think I am cute."

"Oh no!!! I never said you are cute, I said mice are cute, you are like their evil twin sister." They both smiled at this. She knew he was just trying to bait her into a teasing fight. Well, he would soon have to learn that she never lost one of those, but maybe another time. Things were still too serious; she still needed to talk with the Professor about why she came here in the first place.

He was a bit disappointed that she wasn't going to reveal her real name, but thought it better just to let her have it her way, it was after all _her_ name, not his. Speaking of which, he still hadn't told her his name. "By the way Mäuschen, my name is Kurt, Kurt Wagner. You can call me Kurt or Nightcrawler, that is my code name."

From the doorway they heard a new voice, "Don't listen to him, call him Fuzzy Elf, he just _loves_ that, don't you Elf?"

"Great, just great, mein Freund. Thanks a lot Beast, now I have to put up with Mouse, calling me Elf too."

Mouse smiled at this, "Oh you don't like the name…then I will be sure to use it now."

"Oh, her I like Professor. Anyone willing to tease the Elf over there, can't be that bad of a human."

Nightcrawler just sighed softly once he realized he had lost. "See what I have to put with!" he said with his devilish smile, "How I survive? I just don't know, mein Freund."

A bald man then appeared in a wheelchair from behind Beast. "Hello, my name is Professor Charles Xavier." Mouse almost mentioned the fact that she already knew his name, that she already knew everything about him and his X-Men, but thought better of that course of action and quickly held her tong. "I would like to apologize to you, for trying to enter your mind, you were unconscious, and I just wanted to help, please except my apology."

"It's ok really, and I am sorry I hurt you. Afraid it is just a natural reaction."

"I know, and I can't believe that you have such a highly developed mutant ability."

"Actually I need you to be clear about this, I am _extremely _bad at using my mind powers. In fact I would like nothing better then to use them as the barrier that I already use them as." This wasn't true at all, she did know how to use her powers perfectly, but she was trying to hide, and to use them would mean she would have to put her barriers down, and even if she could remember how to do that, she wouldn't, it was just to unsafe. "I do have other mutant abilities which I would be glad to learn to develop. That is the reason in which I came. I admit it wasn't easy getting here, mutants can't really just take the bus, but I did get here and would love to become an X-Man."

Nightcrawler seemed particularly happy at this prospect. The Professor had to think of a second. He was a bit taken aback at how healthy she sounded after her ordeal. She didn't have a healing factor; perhaps it is just her will to live, to move on. He also knew that she wasn't telling the truth at all of how she got here, but he had in the past accepted shadier characters than her, and they turned out all right.

"We will, of course, let you join us and train here. It is a tremendous shame you don't wish to learn to use your powers, but that is your choice not mine. Perhaps one day, you will chose to use them. New X-Men are always wanted. Please accept my invitation. Is there perhaps _anything_ that we should know about your past, anything at all?"

"No, my past is my past. I am here to move on. That is why I came, for a new beginning, a new start at life. The past is the past, that is all."

"Good then it is decided. Tonight you can stay here; we will find you a new room later. Within the week, if you are feeling better, you can begin training too. For now I will leave you to rest and sleep." 

"Thank you Professor, I will. I will see you later at supper."

Xavier couldn't help but be impressed by the strong character Mouse was. Her name was a bit odd. He doubted it was her real name. He wondered where she had gotten it.Oh well, like she said, the past is the past. Time to move on. 

* * * * * * * * * *

The next few days went by quickly for the residents of the X-Men mansion. A few left for New York City for a bit of a breather, like Gambit and Rogue, but the others remained for throughout the duration of the first week of Mouse's stay.She was mostly quiet the whole time, when she wasn't teasing the new friends she had made.She would _never _talk about her past, no matter how much some people wanted to know. At one point Nightcrawler had cornered her and asked her what her real name was or anything she could tell him about her. She had just looked at him a bit sad, and had replied, "Ask me no questions and I will tell you no lies." They had both just left it at that.

The first day after her arrival she had finally gotten to meet the legendary Wolverine. In fact he was the one to look for her. He had woken up that morning and proclaimed, "I smell a Canuck!" in a very raspy morning voice.

From there he had gone searching for this alleged "Canuck". He found her in the med lab, thinking to herself. He tried to come up from behind and surprise her, but she had already known he was there.

"Hello, do you not think I can smell you from a mile away?" She turned and smiled at him.

"You knew I was coming? How?"

"One of my mutant powers is heightened smell and hearing."

"Really, guess we have more in common than I first thought. Don't suppose you have a healing factor along with those powers of your?"

"Healing factor? Now that would be an interesting power. Sorry cannot say I do. As far as I know I have the hearing and smelling thing, then well my lovely eyes and hands, and I think I might have some sort of natural agility. But I have not really tested that out much."

"Hmm, not bad. So where are you from in Canada? I could smell your familiar scent all the way from my room."

"Actually I move around a lot. Didn't really stay in one place up there. My parents job and all." She quickly tried to change the subject. Wolverine didn't mind, if there was one thing he understood, it was keeping the past well hidden. 

"I thought it was time to move on, New York is so nice this time of season." Her sarcasm was a little too obvious in her voice. Wolverine could understand that too. Her voice suddenly showed a glimpse of something that wasn't a lie. "I miss Canada a lot. I really liked living up there and seeing the sights. And what I wouldn't do for some poutine (for those Americans out there, Poutine is a very popular dish in Canada consisting of Fries, hot poutine gravy and cheese)." 

Wolverine had to laugh at this. Though the meal wasn't as popular out where he was from, he still had tried it and loved the taste. For the third time that day, Wolverine could understand her. "I'm Wolverine, but you can call me…Wolverine."

"Hi my name is Mouse, I will be starting to train here in a few days."

" Hmm, have you ever trained before?"

"No, not really."

"Oh, well then you are in for a shock with that danger room. Ha, lets see if you make it out alive. Catch you later if you behave, you gotta uphold that nice reputation I have worked so hard to make for Canadians here. If not, *snikt* then I will have to show you just how I got that reputation." Mouse didn't have a clue as to if he was joking or not, or by what he meant by behaving, those claws were certainly enough to have her worried, she would just have to play it by ear.

"Bye, nice to meet you… I think." At that he just left the room. 

* * * * * * * * * *

The others were very having a great time showing Mouse around the mansion. It had been awhile since there had been a newcomer, especially one with so much mystery attached to her. Everyone wanted to figure her out. She was having a great time, she felt almost free from her past, almost but not quite. After a week had gone by, Kurt offered to begin her training. He took her to the danger room and there set a up a basic gymnastic program. She had told him about her possible agility and he thought this was a good place to start.He took her to the room and showed her how to manoeuvre some very basic acrobatic skills. She mastered them on the first try. Good, she definitely had agility, he thought, this is going to be fun. Throughout the day he showed her everything he knew and then some. He also showed her exercises to keep learning more tricks. She didn't' seem to tire even once, it almost seemed like she was flying free from something. She kept on pushing herself to do more. After awhile it had just become fun. Her claws were extremely sharp and strong. She was able to use them to dig in the walls to climb and cling to things. She would be jumping all over the place, while Kurt tried to catch her by teleporting or tricking her in anyway possible. He was having the time of his life. At first it had been easy to catch her, but she caught on pretty quick, within no time it was a real challenge for him, even with his teleporting abilities.

He could see her right now, she was taking a breather, and trying to trick him into thinking it would be easy to catch her if he wanted to. He was about to do something when he noticed a huge metallic ball suddenly appear and fall towards Mouse, she barely had enough time to notice it coming. As quickly as he could, he teleported to her, all she saw was a thing falling towards her, then Kurt and then another room. It happened so fast she was not even sure what had really happened. But it all had really shaken her up. He sat there holding the now almost statue like figure. Kurt didn't know what had happened at all, someone must have reprogrammed the danger room. He was going to kill them when he found out who had done it. 

"Are you alright?" he asked the now silent girl. Just a moment before she had been so full of life. 

She answered very monotone like, "I am fine. I…I have to go now."

"It's all right, it was probably only a malfunction."

"I know…but I am tired now. I…think I should go to sleep now."

At first he didn't let her go. "Are you sure? You know you can talk to me about anything Mäuschen. I understand." He didn't understand. Sure, she had almost been crushed by a two-ton bowling ball, but why this reaction? There had to be more. 

"It's ok, really, we just worked out two long, my body needs to rest is all." She then got up and turned to leave. He didn't' stop her, but he was worried. He watched her leave and then went to the Danger Room Control board. Someone _had_ messed with the settings of the Danger Room, but who and why?And the video camera hadn't picked up anyone coming or leaving this room. The controls didn't just change themselves. Maybe someone was trying to hurt Mouse; she could be in serious danger. But who would want to hurt her? The only person who might know the answer to that was Mouse herself, and she wasn't exactly about to volunteer information. Though it looked like she really did believe it had just been a malfunction. Then why was she so upset? He decided to go and tell the Professor, the more who knew the better. With one last look at the room he teleported himself to where the Professor would be that time of day, and with a loud BAMF was gone.

* * * * * * * * * *

It was now suppertime and Kurt was really starting to get worried. He hadn't heard from Mouse since she left to go to her room. Everyone was assembled to eat, except for her. He decided to go to her room and try to get her to come down and eat. He teleported himself to her bedroom door and knocked softly. NO answer. He knocked again a bit louder this time, again, no answer. He did this 3 more times before giving up. Kurt then slowly opened her door. Everything in her room had been just as she had left it before, but there was no one in the room "Scheisse!!!" he proclaimed rather loudly.

He quickly teleported back to the assembled crowd, that was now waiting to eat. "She is gone. Mouse she left, she just left and now she is gone." Everyone looked up at the frantic Nightcrawler. 

Wolverine calmly turned to him. "It's alright elf, I saw her leaving from her window hours ago. She just took some time to cool off. She will be back soon. If you are that worried, don't go after her, I will take care of it. I think I can understand a bit of what she is going through."

Nightcrawler was about to protest by saying, "and I don't?" but changed his mind when he saw the look on Wolverine's face. "Ok, fine then, mein Freund, but hurry. I think there is someone trying to hurt her." And with that Wolverine was gone.

* * * * * * * * * *

Wolverine found the young runaway near the lake. It looked like she had been sitting there for hours trying to decide what to do. He knew that she was aware of his presence, so he walked up from behind her and sat down. "Wanna talk about it?"

"No!" she said and then went silent.

"Listen Kid, I don't know what your past is, and I don't really care either. I am not even asking you to tell me. But you came to us, and there are a few people back at the mansion that are going crazy wondering where you are. I don't think this problem of yours right now really has to do with your past anyways."

"Well then you are wrong, it has everything to do with my past."

"What happened? Elf told us about the malfunction, do you think someone is trying to kill you?"

"No, I dunno. I haven't even thought about that possibility."

"Then what is it?" Wolverine continued, know she was about ready to spill the beans. He had been around way to many people like her, to know otherwise.

"I almost got killed. And though this wasn't the first time, and it wasn't even that bad, but it still was scary. I suddenly realized just _who_ I was starting my new life with. You are the X-Men. I could say a lot about what I know about you all, but the most important would be that you risk your lives daily for others. I have so many problems with that, I don't even know where to begin."

"Try!"

"Well first of all, the accident showed me that I have no way of defending myself. If Kurt hadn't saved me…where would I be right now? And if I can't fight what use am I as an X-Man. I would be killed on our first mission. I don't think I can live with that, no pun intended. And even if I could fight…would I? I don't know if I could actually use my claws to slash threw some poor man's chest. I am sick and tired of hurting people. I just want no responsibility, no one to defend, and no one to watch after. I know I am being selfish, but the truth is, the people you might want me to defend might just end up getting more hurt, with me by them."

Wolverine paused before answering the most truthful thing she had said all week. There was more to it than she was saying, but at least she was talking about it. Not that long ago he had said that he didn't want any responsibility; he didn't want anyone to look after and now look at him. He could definitely understand that.

"Hmm, well you have no easy decision ahead of you. We could always use another X-Man, especially another Canuck. We canuckleheads have to stick together, eh! I can't say it is going to be easy, sure you have lots of people depending on you, but they are just going to be worse off if you don't help 'em. And as far as fighting is concerned, you don't have to be the aggressive one. I could teach so many martial art techniques that are in defence only.Trust me, by the time I am done with you, no one will ever want to mess with you, and by the looks of it you could use some protection. I am not making any promises, I am just telling you like it is. So what do ya say? You still wanna be an X-Man?"

Mouse looked obviously relieved. She smiled at him and said, "Sure, it's worth a shot!"

"Besides Mouse, I might be nice and show some of that famous Canadian hospitality I am famous for, and make you some good ol' Canadian Poutine later on."

"Poutine!!! You could have just saved yourself the trouble of that long speech and just offered me the poutine in the first place. I would have come back with you without a second thought."

"Typical Canadian, always thinking of food."

They both got up and headed back to eat some supper. The mystery of Mouse was far from being resolved. They still knew nothing about her, but they now knew just what she wanted, and that they could provide. If nothing else she would be an X-Man.

* * * * * * * * * *

"Hey Sugah, could you hurry up? We have to get going, the Professor is expecting us soon." The tall red head said addressing her handsome companion. 

"Relax Chere, If Gambit thought we gonna be late, den he would be hurrying."

"I bet you would. Come on we are almost there."

The couple rounded the corner just in time to see a girl in a long black trench coat fighting off an evil looking gang. 

"Der just be no vacation for de both of us, heh?"

"Come on Cajun we gotta help her."

"Don't worry chere, I get her, no damsel in distress not be saved by Gambit." And with that theywere off.

(Ok, I have to dispel some Urban Legends here. I'm sure some people have read this story before, and they would know the Author as a girl named Jennifer C. Lain. BEFORE YOU THINK I'M STEALING THIS FROM HER I'M NOT!!! She does not exist. The name is actually three names. Jennifer is my middle name. C stands for Carrie (helped me write 'Juuban High), Carrie didn't actually write this, but rather gave out ideas. And finally Lain is my sisters (Sonya) middle name. If anyone e-m 'Jennifer C. Lain' about this story, you were talking to Sonya. Ok, that's all I wanted to say. Any questions, e-m me ([korn666@stoned.com][1]) or Sonya ([sony_mouse@hotmail.com][2]). Ok, cao.

   [1]: mailto:korn666@stoned.com
   [2]: mailto:sony_mouse@hotmail.com



	2. Book Of Talisman

Disclaimer: I am in no way making money off of this story. All characters except for Mouse and Talisman are owned and copyrighted by Marvel Comics. Fell feel to use any and all characters I have made, or reference to my work (I consider that a compliment).

Spoilers: I will not betray anyone and tell you something important fools.

Summery: A mutant with no memory (Talisman) is brought back to the X-Mansion with Rogue and Gambit. It seems to be a conflict with her and Mouse as it would appear that maybe Talisman is a link to the past Mouse is trying to hard to forget.

_The Watchers_

Prologue

_Have to keep fighting. Cannot let them win._

The two boys ran along the stream that followed a cliff. Soon it would lead into a larger body of water, but the boys wouldn't go that far. They had to stay close to their house. Lunch was soon and they were hungry. To ignore their thoughts of starvation they had decided to play tag. The older of the two smacked his younger brother on the shoulder to say he was it and began to run, his younger brother had no chance of catching up to the faster and bigger of the two, but they still played.

_Sunny, where was Sunny? She was dead. If I cannot find her, she is dead._

It didn't take long for their game to come to a grueling halt when they found her. She lay there all crumpled up on the rocks by the base of the cliff. Was she sleeping? Was she ok? Was she dead? The drying blood on the rock gave the children the idea to run back home screaming for their mother to help her. 

_Where was the ground? She was dead._

_ _

It didn't take long for their mother to get there and then phone the ambulance. It didn't take long for the family of three to accept the young girl into their house until she regained her memory. Of course everyone was curious as to why it looked like she had been fighting for her life, so many cuts and bruises. She was fine in a couple days.In a week she almost felt like she was at home. She finally understood what home meant.

_Don't leave me alone. I am so scared. Blackness._

Book Of Talisman

** **

Talisman. It was the only name she knew, maybe the only _thing _she knew. She had amnesia and had it for the last few weeks. She knew the name Talisman from a tattoo on her left arm that had 'Talisman' written in gothic letters. A couple of kids had found her at the base of a cliff; she had hit her head on a rock. She had obviously been hiking and tripped on the rock, she couldn't have fallen, and no normal person could survive a fall like that. However, she didn't feel very normal, and when a group of five of the most amazing people she had ever laid eyes on approached her, she had felt special… for a moment.

The five people all wore black trench coats, pants and combat boots, and they all had a different style of shirt on, either a different colour, fabric or design. They also all wore identical pendants around their necks on silver chains and had tattoos and or a piercing on them. To Talisman they didn't look like punks, but of something different altogether, something familiar.

The shortest came up to her, her was a boy taller than her with blond hair and blue eyes, quite attractive. On his forehead was a word was tattooed on, but she couldn't understand it, even thought it was so familiar.

"Talisman," he said with a soft and soothing voice. "You have broken our laws and must come with us."

She paused. They knew her. "I think I should tell the family I'm staying with-"

The man grabbed her wrist with a force causing her to forget what she was going to say and cringe. Suddenly his entire sentence went through her brain, she had zoned out before when he said her name. But he had also said she had broken their laws. What were their laws?

_Oh God_, she thought. _I'm in a gang_.

She struggled to get away but his grip only got tighter. She looked around for help and in the distance saw a couple turning the corner. Gaining her courage she screamed out help and kneed the boy holding his wrist right where it counted. He let go and doubled over, but soon he was back on his feet and with the four others they began to chase her.

"Got to reach that couple," she said aloud.

Suddenly she could feel someone grab her legs tackling her to the ground. She tried to get up but their grip was too tight. Another person came over and grabbed her by the waist picking her up. She kicked them in the shins but their grip didn't loosen. She then twisted around and started scratching at his eyes like a cat. He let go.

This time she didn't run, she couldn't. This time she didn't half to either. The couple she had seen was now there. The woman of the two had long red hair with a white streak down the front, she moved like lightening and pushed away the person who was about to attack her next.

Suddenly she felt someone grab her waist again. She screamed but he covered her mouth. Turning into an alley they put her down and she turned around to see whom her attacker was. It was the man from the couple.

"Gambit won't harm you petite," he said with a Cajun accent. "You stay here ok?"

She slowly nodded as the man ran around the corner to join his lady friend.

The woman was trying to fight off the five people without seriously hurting them, but they didn't seem to get hurt. They'd stop for a second to regain their wits and then attack again. She was beginning to loose her patience.

A blast suddenly came from her left side blowing three of the people away.

"Thanks sugah," she said to him in a Mississippi accent. "But ah was doing fine by mahself."

Turning back tot where the five people were she noticed something crucial, they were gone. Turning back to the Cajun she shrugged. "Must have been scared."

A shaky voice came from the alley. "Uh… Gambit?" Talisman guessed that that was the Cajuns name.

"Oui petite?"

She came around the corner with her hands in her pocket, "thanks."

Gambit looked at the woman, "She look a lot like de other attackers, nes pas chere?"

"I… I think I was a member of their gang… or clan… or whatever," Talisman said shyly, not too sure who these people were but nervous around them because she was so grateful.

"You think?" The woman asked.

"I… I can't remember anything. I hit my head a few weeks back and got amnesia."

"Oh, ah see. Well mah name's Rogue in case ya were wondering. Ah guess you've already met Gambit. Maybe you should get on home now."

"Yeah… makes sense. Thank you," she wanted to stay with them a bit more, but she also just wanted to get home.

"Pas de problem petite."

The couple then turned to leave the way they came. Talisman just stood there watching them for a second smiling. Finally she turned around to go home herself and bumped into someone's chest. A very familiar chest. She looked up only to see the face of the man whose eye she had tried to claw out minutes before.

Before she could scream his hand came up. Weather it was to hit her or to grab her didn't matter. What did was that she was scared. Keeping her eyes on his arm that started to come down on her she tried to scream and instead felt something like an invisible heat come from her eyes directed at his arm. His arm stopped in mid air.

"What the f-!?" The man screamed out but was cut off.

Suddenly the man was in the air being carried by Rogue. She managed a smile before she felt someone hit her head. It had been weeks and the wound was barely there, but something about people touching her head now made her get this feeling of dizziness. Like now, but before she could do something stupid like faint she felt herself being picked up.

After a minute the dizziness passed. She then looked down. This would be noted as the second dumbest thing she had done that day. The first being going out that day to go downtown, but everything happens for a reason. That didn't reassure her at that moment. When she looked down she could see small things going by fast. Not things… buildings. Buildings!? Her surroundings then became clear; Rogue was carrying her and flying. Flying very high.

It was then a strange and a new sense of vertigo hit her.

"PUT ME DOWN!" Talisman started to struggle in Rogue's arms.

Rogue held on to her more tightly. "Calm down sugah. Ah ain't gonna hurt ya, but if you keep struggling like that ya could fall."

She became very stiff at the mention of the word 'fall'. Closing her eyes as tightly as she could and grabbing Rogue as tightly as she could was the only thing she could do to keep from screaming the rest of the way.

Wolverine, Mouse and Nightcrawler walked through the hallway. They had just been in the danger room and now decided to go outside for a bit to cool off. The three had barely made it out the door before they saw Gambit run in almost smashing into Wolverine.

"Watch it Gumbo!" He yelled.

"Sorry mon amie, but I must find Beast."

"Why?" Mouse asked with her curiosity kicking in.

"Me an' Rogue rescued a girl an' Rogue said to get Beast."

With that the Cajun was off down the hallway to the med lab. 

"He is whipped nein?" Nightcrawler said trying to make a certain someone laugh.

Mouse looked at him and smiled, "let's go see whom they found."

The three walked out and walked for a few seconds before they saw Rogue standing over a young girl clad in black.

"C'mon sugah, ah promises to never do that again, but please come in," she pleaded with her. " Last time ah had no choice. Ah just had to get ya out of there and it seemed to be the only way.

"I'm never moving again," came the simple reply of a very scared girl. She lay there curled in a ball. Talisman didn't know much about her life, but something was now clear, she was also afraid of heights. She never wanted her head to leave the ground again. She didn't care if they dragged her around.

"C'mon, let's go into the mansion."

Mansion. Why was that so familiar? She knew it was a big house, but there was a familiar feeling. Maybe she lived in one, but it felt important. Maybe she should go in. Talisman slowly moved her head so it faced Rogue. "Ok," she said reluctantly. "But give me a sec."

"Alright sugah."

_Get up!_ She yelled in her mind over and over. She could walk; she'd just been doing it. She never had to fly or go higher than a meter off the ground… or less… if she didn't want to. All she had to do was go to the mansion and maybe she'd find something or someone there that she recognized. She'd get her memory back; she just needed to get up.

She got onto her knees still keeping her head close to the ground when she felt a hand take her arm. "Let me help you up," a man said in a sophisticated voice. 

Talisman looked at the people around her once she was standing. Two blue people, Rogue, Gambit, some guy with black hair, and a girl. The girl shocked her the most. She was wearing what she was, so to speak. Same coat, pants and boots, different shirt. Talisman's was black and covering all her stomach, while hers was blue and showed her belly button. Her pendant. Same as the five that attacked her. Same as hers.

"Do I know you?"

"Would explain the resemblance non?" Gambit said but Talisman ignored him keeping her focus on the mouse.

"I have never seen you in my life," she answered and Talisman showed her disappointment in her eyes. 

She nodded and let the blue sophisticated man lead her into the mansion and into the med lab. Once there she took off her coat and sat on a bed.

"So why am I here?"

"Rogue says she has reason to believe you are a mutant."

"A mutant eh?" She knew what it meant, a person who was born 'differently' and able to do 'amazing' things. The people she had been staying with her very prejudice against them. "Why does she think that?"

"You stopped a man from hitting you without touching him."

She paused, the heat, the power she had felt. She could move things with her mind? "Wow," was all she was able to say. 

"We have been getting many visitors it seems lately, at least Kurt is not here anymore," the man smiled. "My name is Hank McCoy, call me Hank."

Nightcrawler then stuck his head in the room. "Just checking to see if she was alright," Hank growled at him and Kurt smiled evilly and left.

Hank smiled again, "I was worried for a second."

"My name's Talisman… I think. I have amnesia and it's my tattoo. Maybe it's a nickname or my actual name."

"Or a pet's perhaps?"

"Uh… maybe." 

"You are wearing almost the identical outfit as Mouse yet she denies knowing you. Strange."

"Well she's not the only person I've met wearing that today, maybe it's a new fashion wave."

"Perhaps. May I see your pendant?"

"Yeah."

Hank reached out and gently took the pendant in his large hand, just like Mouse's on one side had a dragon with Ra's eye's and on the other the word 'Weisheit".

"Ah, just as I thought."

"What?"

"The pendants are identical. I think perhaps I was right after all."

"What do you mean? I don't understand."

"I think that perhaps these pendants are connected to a clan or gang of some sort."

"Actually, so do I. The people that attacked me were wearing the same things as me… and they said I broke their laws."

"Interesting. Maybe this is the past Mouse is hiding from us. Maybe you two were in a gang."

"I'm really getting the feeling that I should have stayed in bed today."

Hank smiled again. Talisman was absolutely in love with his smile all of the sudden. This man was so nice, everyone here was, and maybe she had found some friends that could help.

"Thank you Hank," she said hugging him.

"Whatever for?"

She drew back, "for being here to talk to."

Mouse stood over the sleeping body of Talisman. Her past had finally caught up with her. Why as she here? Finally life is going so good, she had finally gotten her out of her mind. And now she was here. It didn't matter that she was alive at all. She didn't care anymore. She wanted her past to go away, so she would have to make her go away. But then again, she had no memory. Maybe if she could just keep the past from her…

She reached down and looked at Talisman's neck. She could see the chain no one else had discovered. It seemed like Talisman hadn't read it, or she would be going by a different name. She unclasped the dog tags and pocketed them. She needed the dog tags more than her.

"Sorry… but I cannot let them find me."

With that she was out of the room and walking down the hall towards her own room. Maybe she could convince Talisman that this wasn't the place for her, but how much did she need to hide her past? Did she have to maybe even ruin someone else's life? She'd soon find out.

_They stood in front of everyone. Accusing eyes at all sides. I am sorry. Nobody was on their die. We are the dammed. I am sorry. Let me live. I am not different. But I am. We are. Leave and die, stay and die. It is the law. But the law must be broken. Survival. Only one penalty for breaking the law…_

_"I love you."_

_I love you too._

_"Leave now."_

_I do not want to._

_"Leave!"_

_Pain, so much pain._

_ _

Talisman woke up and started crying. She got these dreams every night, always the same confusing pain. It meant something tonight though. What the five people had said, she had broken their laws. That's what the dream said. They broke the law to survive. But what law? And who was we? C. R. Hanes. It was a name she knew… but it wasn't hers. She had no idea who's dog tags they were, only that they hadn't belonged to her. Nobody was in the military around her age… whatever it was. She guessed young. Maybe it was a parent's. That's what she thought. So was her last name Hanes? Didn't sound right.

453 694 440

CR HANES

ACC A/RH/N

CND FRCES CND

Her or the person this belonged to was Canadian. That's all she knew. She put her hand to her neck and looked for it now to comfort her. She only found her pendant. Beginning to worry she started to look on her desk on the floor and finally started throwing things around. How could this happen? She must have lost it in the fight. 

"No!" She fell to her knees and banged on the floor. She was so mad. How could she have been so stupid!?

The door flew open and Rogue and a girl with purple hair walked in. She jumped at Rogue and started shaking her clothed shoulders.

"I can't find it!"

"Whoa sugah, calm down. Can't find what?"

"My dog chains!"

"I must have lost them in the fight! We have to go find them!"

"Now just one second. It's two in the mornin' and you want to go look for some necklace downtown.

"Don't you get it!? All I have is what I wear! That 'necklace' is a key to my past which I can't remember!"

She pushed her hands off her shoulders. "Ah understand sugah, but maybe ya should wait for the morning."

"Wait," the other woman said.

"What is it Psylocke?"

"Someone was in here?"

"Someone stole it? Can ya tell who?"

"No, their traces were covered. It's a mental block."

"Maybe someone can smell it out."

"I'll try to contact Mouse."

"Why would someone steal it?" Talisman asked almost shocked.

"Ah have no clue."

"Would anybody here steal things?"

"Well… ah do admit we have a thief here… but he wouldn't steal a necklace… wait. Was it valuable?"

"It was a dog chain, I doubt it. But it was valuable to me."

"I doubt he stole it then."

"Who's 'he'?"

Before Rogue could answer Mouse stepped into the room looking quite irritated in her tired mood. She walked over to Psylocke and looked deep into her eyes.

"You summoned your purple hair-ness?" she asked in the most sarcastic voice she could muster.

"What do you smell?"

"You," she started to get annoyed.

"No, what people. Her necklace was stolen for some reason and we're hoping to find out who so we can all get some sleep."

Mouse looked around at the three other people. She was that close to being caught. Maybe she should have hidden her trace better. It didn't matter, she could lie her way out of this. But was that right? Maybe she could just get away with this one lie and then they could go back to their normal lives… or at least what she felt was normal.

"I only smell you guys. Nothing else. Whoever was here left a while ago. Sorry Talisman."

She then turned and left followed by the also very tired Psylocke. Rogue went to Talisman and put her hand on her shoulder. "It's ok sugah, ah know that necklace meant somethin' to ya, but it's gone and maybe you should just forget it."

Talisman nodded, it was all she could do. She wasn't sad really. Just confused. She had thought the X-Men so nice and then one of them steals her necklace? Maybe there was more to it than this. She went back to her bed in an attempt to sleep, but she never could get back to sleep after she woke up. Hopefully neither was Rogue, Psylocke or Mouse.

Talisman wandered into the danger room. Hank had told her to go wandering around the mansion saying nobody would care. He had mentioned the danger room and how she should stay away from it until she was ready. But one thing was for sure; there was no end to her curiosity.

She had pressed some buttons on the control panel and walked into it. There was nothing in the room. Finally she saw however at the corner a rack of something. Going closer she saw what they were. Swords. She had never seen a sword in the life she remembers, never heard of them. But it was the most familiar thing she had seen in this life of hers.

Picking it up it felt so right in her hand. It belonged there. She twirled it around in the air for a while trying to remember something, but nothing came. This was pointless; maybe the rest of the mansion was more fun. Before she could turn she heard a voice.

"Are you sure you should be here mein freund?"

She turned around in shock almost dropping the sword.

"Don't do that! I've been so on edge lately it's not funny."

"Sorry," Nightcrawler apologized. "Maybe you shouldn't be here though. If you are so 'on edge' lately."

"I was just wandering around… this place looked interesting. I was just about to-"

"Do you know how to use that?" He asked cutting her off.

"Uh… I'm not sure. Feels familiar."

"Well let's see just how good you are."

Nightcrawler walked over to the rack and picked up the sword in the middle. He then turned to Talisman and after a couple of seconds came at her. She immediately blocked the attack and he backed off.

"Nice move Talisman, let's see if you can keep it up," and then he attacked again.

Wolverine wandered into the control room of the danger room to see if it was free. To his displeasure it wasn't. As he looked into the danger room he could see Nightcrawler and someone else sparing. But who with? Looking closer he could see Talisman.

What was she doing in here? Shouldn't she wait a bit before going in there? But then again what could a harmless sparing game do to anyone. So Wolverine decided to watch with interest.

Nightcrawler brought the sword down just missing her left arm before she did a 180 and swung her sword at his legs. He jumped up and she only hit air. To both their surprises she was better than they expected. So far Nightcrawler had been playing the offensive and her the defense, but in a change of attitude she came on him stronger pushing him back. 

"_Kurt_," he thought to himself. "_You're loosing_."

Their swords clashed hard making a perfected metal sound. Nightcrawler's shoulder hit the wall and took him by surprise; he was so far back already. Talisman put all her force in the next blow and it sent his sword flying. But he wasn't ready to quit yet. Before Talisman could hit him again he flipped into the air and landed by his sword.

"I didn't know you could do that," she said in awe.

"You didn't ask mein freund," he said picking his sword up and coming at her again.

Again their swords clashed only this time nobody play offense or defense. They both took their turns blocking and throwing all they had to the other opponent. It seemed they were equally good.

Wolverine sat in the control room quite impressed. He wished someone were here to bet with. But whom would he pick? He's known Kirk longer, so most likely him. But she seemed to be his match. 

The two blades clashed and held as they both tried to push the other's sword away… or into the other for that matter. Sweat was running down their faces and they were starting to get tired. It was obvious the only way someone would win was if the other one got tired faster.

Talisman brought her sword back in an unexpected movement and managed to flip Nightcrawler over her as she fell on her back. She got back up with grace and went after the fallen opponent only to find him missing. She looked around for a sec until she heard a 'BAMF' to her right. Without thinking she swung her sword in that direction. The blade stopped as Nightcrawler blocked it but she still heard a small yelp, as she turned to him she saw that she had almost killed his manhood.

He flipped over the sword and was ready to take her off guard when suddenly he couldn't move.

"You use your powers, I use mine."

She began to swing her sword at him when it suddenly disappeared and she fell off balance. Nightcrawler was able to move now and pined her.

Her had a growl under his breath, "you were _not _playing fair mein freund."

"Hey, you were disappearing, that wasn't fair. Besides, I wasn't actually gonna hurt you. I was just… playing around."

After a moment Nightcrawler rolled over and lay on his back, "you are a good fighter in any case mein freund."

"Thanks, you're not too shabby yourself," she began to smile to herself when she suddenly heard clapping coming from the door.

"Bravo," Wolverine said in a pleasing voice. "Looks like Nightcrawler met his match… so to speak. Lucky I was here to save him.

"I was wondering why the sword disappeared," Talisman said standing up. "I think I'm gonna get back to my walk. See you guys later."

Wolverine walked over to Nightcrawler and helped him up as she left. "Well there, couldn't handle a girl eh bud?"

"She's stronger than she looks," Nightcrawler said.

"Yeah I know, wonder what Mouse has against her."

Nightcrawler looked at Wolverine confused. "What do you mean mein freund?"

"When she first showed up Mouse got all quiet for the rest of the day, she looked mad… kinda sad actually."

"Maybe she beat her in a sparing match."

"I can see that. But no, has to be something deeper."

Talisman sat under a tree in the front yard. She had finished her tour of the mansion and finally went outside to read some. She had met a boy named Bobby Drake who had decided to help her on the tour even though she repeatedly told him to go away (as nicely as possible of course). Despite how annoying he was, he did try to make her laugh, he got brownie points for that. But if she ever had to put up with that again… gods have mercy on his soul. She had taken the first book she could find and was getting into it. The book was called "The Hobbit", even though she seemed to know what would happen next she loved it. Maybe she had read it in her past life, as she liked to call it.

She knew about how Wolverine had his amnesia since before they had found him. Would she be like that? Never knowing what had happened before she got here? Always trying to figure it out and getting to the point where she recognized everything and yet she still knew nothing… she hoped not. Either way she felt like her life had begun again. 

The fight with Nightcrawler yesterday had been interesting. It seemed she had more control over her power than she thought… and she could swordfight very well. Maybe her parents had been rich or something and had singed her up for sword lessons. That would explain why the mansion was so familiar. It wouldn't explain her lip, eyebrow ring and tattoo though. Maybe she had run away and joined the gang. That made sense. So why'd she run away? If her parents were rich would they be in the army? Were they a high rank? She was so confused.

She finished the book and put it down. The sun was so bright. She should go in. Although she didn't mind getting tanned, getting so tanned you were pretty much orange, or worse getting burnt didn't appeal to her. She picked up her book and began to walk back to the mansion. She had put her clothes away and was wearing something Rogue had lent her. Short blue jean shorts and a dark purple tank top. It was odd for her to have something like this when she heard of her powers and how scared she was of using them.

But she didn't explain, it was nice to not look like those attackers… or Mouse for that matter. She still wore her Pendant and many earrings because they were after all just jewelry. She had five piercing in each ear. She also had a tattoo by her right eye. It was so small she had actually never noticed until she was changing today. The tattoo was imitating Egyptian makeup. At the edge of her eye were two lines about a cm long, the bottom one going straight and the other curling up. It was so pale that she also borrowed some black eyeliner from Rogue and traced over it. It gave a certain feature to her face that told anyone there was a mystery about her, and well there was. 

She walked into the mansion and found the bookshelf where she had found the book in the first place; beside it were the three sequels. She'd have to read those later, maybe even tomorrow. Right now she needed some lunch. She hadn't eaten all day.

A knock suddenly came at the door but she kept going to the kitchen. She heard another nock. Where was everybody? She sighed and turned around to go answer the door. Maybe everyone had gone out shopping, that was a lot of people then. Maybe they were on one of those missions everyone talked so much about. Or maybe just is school. That is what this place was.

Opening the door Talisman saw a girl standing there looking like she was going to cry. She had long purple hair just past her shoulders. She also had the most alluring green eyes. It was a pity to see them glazed over with tears. She stood at about 5'4", just a little shorter than her. She finally turned to look at her after what seemed like an eternity.

She stood there in shock and suddenly she didn't look so sad anymore.

"Petra!" She yelled and rapped her arms around her.

Talisman stood there for a second and finally hugged her back. She was wearing the same thing as her only she had an army green shirt on. Did she know her? Was she her friend? The smell of roses slowly came to her. It was the girl who smelt like roses, it was such a nice name.

Roses. They were so familiar.

Roses…

"Alexis?"

(Hey, this is my formal apology to everyone who's ever read this story or has begun reading it now. 'Book Of Mouse' and 'Book Of Talisman' were written over the course of two days sometime around the middle of August 2000. Now, they were posted on several X-Sites as soon as finished (so they didn't get edited 'till now). Now, the day after we wrote these and posted them, me and Sonya went of on a little cross-Canada trip *shoots herself*****. It was one of the most horrible experiences of my life. Now 'Book Of Thorn' was conceived on one of the many train trips. We had a very cool out-line and such, Sonya has this out-line. The point is, only have of it ever got written out, and now a year later I still haven't convinced Sonya to get off her lazy ass and help me write the stupid thing (SONYA IF YOU'RE READING THIS, I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE AND I'VE SEEN WHERE YOU SLEEP!!!). So, it will get finished, I have every intention to get it finished, but it may take a while, that's all I'm saying. E-m Sonya ([sony_mouse@hotmail.com][1]) and bug her to write it J. Oh yeah, I know Psylocke's hair is black, but half the time they colour it purple so there. Cao. )

   [1]: mailto:sony_mouse@hotmail.com



	3. Book Of Thorn (Incomplete)

(This is what I wrote a very long time ago… so Sonya never made any input of this, it's not done and it's all my writing/editing, stupid sister… Anyways, I just wanna say this: Mouse was not based on me! I didn't even come up with her! In fact, the first chapter was written by my sister, I only helped with the plot, some dialect and finally editing. The rest I can take credit for writing fully though. I'm sorry this isn't done yet, but it will give you a better understanding of what's gonna happen. Cao for now.)

Disclaimer: I am in no way making money off of this story. All characters except for Mouse, Thorn and Talisman are owned and copyrighted by Marvel Comics. Feel free to use any and all characters I have made, or reference to my work (I consider that a compliment).

Spoilers: I will not betray anyone and tell you something important fools.

Summery: Yet another mutant shows up at the mansion and her presence brings back Talisman's memories. This is the finally book in the "Mouse Trap" series so a lot of questions will be answered about the past.

Prologue

The fight was over, so to speak. They came and failed. Leaving thinking they were victorious. But were they? She had been looking for Sonny for a bit now. She had been the first to disappear. Then Talisman was gone. It wasn't long after before she deemed her dead. She had hidden in the trees. Hiding, running, quitting, and all things she had never done before. Until she learned that sometimes you didn't always win. Today was such a day.

Her two closet's friends were dead, and what was worst is she was lost. Or at least she wanted to be lost. The more she wandered the more chances she had of finding someone. She wouldn't give up just yet, even if she was wandering around here for weeks. They had to still be alive… they had to.

She had to rest. Sitting by the trunk of a tree she could relax, fighting for a half hour straight had been exhausting and quite a learning experience. Her mutant powers were weird. She could control plant life to sum it up, until today she didn't know that. Before today she could somehow throw thorns from her hands, which is where her nickname Thorn had come from. Although her friends still tended to call her by her real name.

Alexis couldn't think of a worse fate than being alone. But she wouldn't give in, even if she was a mutant. The whole point of leaving was to find a 'better place'. In Salem New York there was a place she could go for people like her, Charles Xavier's school for mutants. But of course they should have known that no matter what, the Watchers would find them, they could see it all, they knew everything.

From now on Alexis Katrina Rose would always have that constant fear of being found and killed. The only thing that contorted her on that note was that she would be with her only true friends again.

# Book of Thorn

Talisman stood there speechless as Alexia slowly withdrew from their embrace. She knew who she was. Everything came back. The day they first met in their childhood, what had happened that they had to leave right up to the fight. Her name. She knew her name. Petra Weisheit. And this girl, Alexis, was her best friend.

"Oh my god, Alexis. What happened? Where'd you go?" Talisman asked.

"I stayed in the forest, I had to find you. The thought of you two being dead… I just could not take it," she answered almost crying with joy.

_"You two being dead."_

_"You two"_

_"Two."_

__"Sonny…" Talisman realized with shock. She had known Sonny… Mouse, and Mouse had kept everything away from her. It must have been her that took her dog tags… why did she want to keep the past away from her?

"Where is that sister of yours? She is ok?" Alexis asked in a worried tone.

"She's fine… just fine… physically at least."

"What do you mean?"

"Well a couple of things have happened since the fight," Talisman said leading her to the living room so she could sit down. "After the fight I hit my head and got amnesia. I stayed with a family for a couple weeks, but when I was downtown some watchers found me and attacked me. Two mutants here, Gambit and Rogue, saved my life. I came here and found Sonny. I could recognize her but she denied knowing me. I have no clue why. That night my mothers dog chains went missing, I just realized that she must have taken them, probably to keep me from getting my memory back. But I do not know why."

"Why in the world would your own sister do that?"

"I do not know, but I have every intention on asking her today."

It was then if on cue Mouse and Nightcrawler walked in. It took a lot of will power on Mouse's part to not show any reaction to Thorn and Talisman sitting there. They were talking about the past, getting her memory back. To say the least she was in deep-

"Sonny!" Thorn said jumping up and wrapping her arms around her. 

"Uh…" She had no clue what to say, not with Nightcrawler standing there confused. She had no choice right now, she couldn't do the same thing she had done with Talisman, and what about Talisman? Was she hurt that her own sister denied knowing her? She would. "Thorn. I thought you were dead… I thought you were both dead… I…"

What could she say? There was so much guilt in her heart at the moment, but things had to be said. They had to explain everything, to themselves… and perhaps the other X-Men. Her past couldn't be held back anymore, there was no reason.

_"You are mutants you three. I am sorry, but as a watcher it cannot be so."_

_"What are you saying?" Mouse, the eldest of them stepped forward. The head Watcher wasn't so tough._

_"I am saying that we cannot except mutants in out society. And as the law you cannot leave."_

_"But… that would mean…" Talisman couldn't say it. She couldn't think of it._

_"I am sorry."_

_Two men started to move forward to apprehend them. Mouse looked around for someone, anyone who would stand up for them. No one showed sympathy. Finally her eyes fell on her father. He showed no sympathy, as she pleaded with her eyes he only looked away with a disgusted look on his face. The tear began to form. She could feel someone grab her arm._

_"NO!" She swung around and scratched the man with her newly formed claws. He let go and grabbed his bleeding eye._

_"Devil!" A man from the audience called and slowly other people began to pick up._

Mouse went over to her younger sister to protect her. They couldn't do this; they'd find a way out. Thorn lifted her hand to the other man and a spry of thorns hit his face sending him screaming. Still more Watchers began to approach. They couldn't fight everyone off. Finally they simply gave up and let the men carry them away to their certain doom.

That night Mouse didn't sleep. They were all in a small room with no window and barely room to move in. Tomorrow she knew they would die. She couldn't let that happen. The three of them had grown up together. They were always titled different and outcasts, they came together and then one day their mutant powers came out. Everyone was scared and now they were doing something about it.

_"I'm sorry I haven't been here in a while my darlings," the woman's voice came from the now open door. "The army's been keeping me busy."_

_"Mother!" Mouse got up shielding her eyes from the light._

_"I came to get you out of here. Come before someone notices."_

_The two woke up Talisman and Thorn and then the four began to walk towards the exit of the building. It didn't take long for people to see they were gone and soon the four were running from yelling voices. _

_They reached the end of the Watchers territory. A place that so many feared and others talked about one day passing over it, today it would happen for the first time against the elder. But they were too slow and they were being attacked. Their mother pulled out a gun and shot the two men chasing them in the legs only to stun them._

_"I'll hold them off but you three get the hell out of here!" She yelled at them._

_"No mother, you do not have to," Mouse pleaded with her._

_"Someone has to hold these bastards back. You can't keep running!"_

_"No mom!" Talisman yelled out grabbing her mother._

_Her mother reached for her neck and took a necklace off putting it in the now crying girls hand._

_"I love you."_

_"I love you too."_

_"Leave now."_

_"I do not want to."_

_"Leave!"_

_Mouse grabbed Talisman's hand and held back the tears. "I'll take care of them mother… I promises," with that they began to run, over the edge of their territory and into the world they knew everything about leaving their mother behind. It wasn't long before they heard a scream that could only belong to their mother. Talisman had tried to go back then but Mouse had stopped her._

_"She gone…" Talisman would later say to Mouse when they were in hiding._

_"I am sorry Petra," she tried hard to not hold back tears, yet Talisman was doing it so well, almost like she didn't fully understand, maybe she didn't._

_"Do not be sorry, you did not kill her."_

_Thorn was in the corner watching them; she was the toughest of them. She barely showed any emotion other than being annoyed. Normally she would try to cheer them up, but what could she say? She loved them both like her own sister's and they accepted her as one. But she had never thought of their mothers the same. And now? Now she could do nothing but stare and wonder what they were thinking? All she could think of was how she was betrayed, how they all were betrayed._

_ _

Nightcrawler sat there in amazement. He has heard of mutants not being excepted, but to be murdered be the people you called family for it. Talisman had tears slowly coming down her cheeks, but she quickly wiped them away and took a deep breath, she then looked at Mouse with hurt in her eyes.

"Can I have them back?" She asked Mouse.

"Have what?" Nightcrawler asked for her.

Mouse looked away and then put her hand in her pocket looking for something. She finally took out the dog tags and gave them to Talisman. "I missed her… I was going to give them back to you once you got your memory back."

"What was her name?" Talisman asked. "Nobody ever told me, I just knew her as mother."

Mouse sighed, "Carrie Rebecca Hanes."

Talisman put the dog tags on her neck and tried to remember all she could about her mom. She wasn't a Watcher, instead a girl their father had become in love with. One day we went to the elder and asked if her could pursue her, he was allowed to and two years after returned with a wife pregnant. They gave birth to Mouse and then four years later Talisman, then one day when Talisman was ten she left longing for home, promising to come back. She sacrificed herself for them she loved them so much.

"So, after this what happened?" Nightcrawler asked getting very curios. 

"Maybe we should take a break," Alexis said. "I am starving."

"My sentiments exactly," Talisman said getting up and then leading Alexis to the kitchen leaving Nightcrawler and Mouse alone.

"Why wouldn't you tell us your past Mäuschen? It's not so bad," Nightcrawler said trying to break the ice that had settled.

"It is, I mean afterwards. The Watchers found us and we began to fight… I… I left them there. I left them to die even after I promised to take care of them," Mouse was trying to hold back the tears she knew would come.

"But they're alright," Nightcrawler said trying to comfort her.

"But do they forgive me?"

When Talisman and Alexis entered the kitchen Talisman almost grabbed Alexis to get her out of there. Why? Because Bobby Drake stood there making a sandwich. He looked up at them and smiled.

"Hey there Talisman."

"Hello Bobby," she answered grimly.

"Who's your friend?" He asked pointing to Alexis.

"This is Alexis Rose… but you can call her Thorn."

"Thorn? Nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine," she said sarcastically but Bobby didn't quite catch it.

"So you guys in here to get food?" Bobby asked clearly trying to start a conversation.

"What? A kitchen to get food? What gave you that idea?" Thorn said.

Talisman held back her smile. "Yeah, we are here to get something to eat, we are starved."

"Need any help?"

"No, it is ok."

After several more minutes the two girls slowly convinced Bobby to go bug someone else, like Rogue. Once he was gone they raided the shelves for something to eat.

"Hey, chicken noodle soup. Wanna try it?" Talisman asked.

They both knew what it was, but they both had never tried it. Maybe now that they were free they could try all the things they had spent hours learning about and watching. Life would be very different now that they were mutants and had the freedom some only dreamed about from where she came. Thorn and Talisman felt more alive then ever before.

Talisman made two servings and then they found a table to sit at.

"So what is it like?" Alexis asked.

"What is what like?" Talisman looked at her best friend.

"Not being able to remember everything in the world for a couple weeks?"

"Well first of all I did not know how much knowledge I had forgotten and it was like living a new life. What was it like to like in the forest for s few weeks with infinite knowledge?"

"Lonely… and boring." Alexis said with a smile. "Nah, it was interesting. I got to know the nature a lot better than any Watcher could. I connected you could say, and it was like I could call that place… home."

"Heh, I almost had the feeling of home too. But it was an illusion, I do not think I will ever have the feeling of home again."

"You will Petra, you will. I think after all of this Watcher business is finished I will go back to the forest, not that one, but I big one in Canada, maybe Algonquin Park. I love that place."

"Did somebody mention Canada?" A low voice came from the doorway, Talisman tuned to find the short black haired man she had seen with Mouse when she had first arrived. He was the one with amnesia, Wolverine.

"Yeah, we are from there," Talisman answered.

"So you have your memory back?" He said politely.

"Yes, thanks to my friend here."

He looked at Thorn, "Hey there."

"Hey," Thorn said.

Wolverine stayed for a bit and they chatted a bit about Canada and how lovely it was. After a while he left to go play around in the danger room with Gambit leaving the girl to do some dishes. They didn't mind at all, like they said before, they wanted to do everything they had ever seen, even work.

Thorn couldn't stop herself from drifting back to her past thought. There were some things she couldn't let go off. Her garden was one thing. She was always good with plants and she owned and cared for her own rose garden. Her and roses always went together, it was even her last name. Being in the forest was like having her own garden again, but it really wasn't. She would never have that garden again; they had probably torched it or dug it up or some other awful thing to forget her.

Some things she'd never forget or forgive, if they touched her garden she'd kill them all… well sort of.

"So what is the rest of the story Mäuschen?" Nightcrawler asked Mouse after super. 

"You mean when we met up with the Watchers again?" Mouse made sure.

"Ja."

"Come with me," she said leading him away.

They went down to the lower levels of the mansion until they finally got to the meeting room. Professor Xavier, Talisman, Thorn, Beast, Wolverine, Gambit, Rogue and Phylocke were all there. They had al been brought there to finally get the full story of the three girl's past. 

_They were sticking by the forest so they wouldn't be seen so easily. Of course they knew that no matter where they went the Watchers would find them. It had been days, maybe weeks, but they were finally in New York City. Now they had to get to Salem. It took them longer because they walked all the time, they didn't want to go near civilization. It slowed them down even more that Mouse hadn't slept since they were still on the Watchers ground. But they were all equally tired._

_So when the six watchers attacked them they weren't very ready. It was the same watchers that had attacked Talisman after, only one more. They fought as best as they could but it was almost failed from when they started. Their powers were still very new to them and they didn't have the right control._

_Thorn and Mouse seemed to fight the best and Talisman simply tried to keep people away from her using her telekinesis. But what could that do?_


End file.
